The talented 20-year-old completed his switch to Manchester City on Friday, returning to the club whose academy he grew up in prior to joined the Owls. Immediately after signing he completed a loan switch to Queens Park Rangers for the season.

As previously reported by The Wednesday Word, SWFC did make attempts to try and tie the Northern Ireland international down on a new deal at Hillsborough, but when it became clear that wouldn’t happen, the decision was made to look after the ‘long-term interests’ of the club.

Speaking after the deals were finalised, three key figures from Wednesday, City and QPR have discussed the state of play surrounding the shot-stopper:

Sheffield Wednesday’s Sporting Director - Simon Wilson

“At 20, the quality and consistency of Pierce’s performances have naturally attracted interest from elite clubs throughout the last 12 months. We engaged with him to secure his long-term future but understood his desire to take this opportunity and with one year remaining on his contract, this agreement protects the long-term interests of our club.

“Although we are disappointed to lose him from our group, Pierce’s story is one that should be celebrated by all who played a part in his journey – from his acquisition to his development within our academy and first team. He is an example we hope many players can replicate in the future and we wish him well at Manchester City, who we continue to build an exceptional relationship with.”

Manchester City’s Director of Football - Hugo Viana

“Pierce is someone whose progress we have been following closely, and we are delighted to welcome him back to Manchester City.

“Pierce has already learned a lot during his time at Sheffield Wednesday but is still very young and hungry to now further progress and develop.

“He also knows the Club and is very much aligned with the values we all share.

“We are very happy to have secured Pierce’s signing and are excited to now help in his future career development.”

QPR CEO - Christian Nourry

“We are pleased to announce the arrival of Pierce today on a season-long loan.

“Pierce is a player that the club has held a long-term interest in, and we are delighted to have the player and his family’s confidence, as well as Manchester City’s, in terms of this being the best environment for him to continue to prosper, having had the pick of Championship clubs to choose from.”

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The Wednesday Word reported recently that a deal had been agreed with the Premier League giants that would see the talented goalkeeper return to Manchester, with a guaranteed fee of £3m coming the way of the Owls.

It’s understood that the club are confident of the fee rising to at least £5m with the add-ons, and it could - at some point - be worth upwards of £10m. If that was to happen then the sale of the 20-year-old would go down as Wednesday’s record outward transfer.

Today it was confirmed that the goalkeeper had completed his switch back to his former club, and that - as reported by TWW - he’d joined Championship outfit, Queens Park Rangers, on loan for the 2026/27 campaign.

A statement from the Owls read, “Sheffield Wednesday Football Club today confirmed the departure of Pierce Charles to Manchester City.

“The 20-year-old goalkeeper returns to the Etihad Stadium for an undisclosed fee, which could become the highest total ever received by the club for a player, subject to the achievement of agreed performance-related conditions…

“All at Sheffield Wednesday thank Pierce for his contribution and wish him the very best for the future.”

Charles has signed a five-year deal at the Etihad in a deal that will see him remain with the Lancashire club until 2031

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Barrie has been on the brink of joining the Owls for a few days now, and it was revealed recently that terms had been agreed that would see him jump on board Henrik Pedersen’s ship at Hillsborough.

Now, with a preseason friendly against West Bromwich Albion just a couple of days away, it has been announced that the 23-year-old has penned a four-year deal with a one-year option in South Yorkshire.

And he’s delighted to be involved.

Speaking to the club website, the Owls’ newest signing said, “I’m buzzing and I can’t wait to get started – it’s just about finding a home and this is the place I want to be for the next part of my career.

“It’s now time to settle down and find a home and I think that will come out in my performances as well. I’ve walked into a really warm atmosphere. Getting a good pre-season under my belt is a massive thing to build connections and to get used to the style of play straight away.

“I feel like I can progress at the same speed as the club wants to, which is fantastic. To call a club your own is just a great feeling.”

Meanwhile Sporting Director, Simon Wilson, added, “Louie’s determination to make this move happen has been relentless. He had multiple options available this summer, including opportunities in the Championship, but he was clear from the outset that he wanted a permanent home – and for him, it was only Sheffield Wednesday.

“Henrik, Louie and I all believe in the synergy of this move – the right player joining the right club at the right time. He brings goals, directness and real attacking quality, with attributes that are closely aligned to the playing identity we are building. He has already shown what he can do at this level, but there is much more to come.

“With the stability of a permanent home, our coaching environment and the backing of our supporters, we believe Louie can become an important player for Sheffield Wednesday for many years to come.”

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Bannan, who is believed to have re-joined the Owls on a free transfer arrangement from Millwall, has penned a one-year deal at Hillsborough, and is already with the team as they continue their preseason preparations.

The 36-year-old has been closing in on an S6 return for some time now, and as he looks to work his way closer to becoming just the fifth player in the club’s history to reach 500 appearances, he’s raring to go.

Speaking to the official website, Bannan said, “This club means so much to me and my family so to have the opportunity to come back, I didn’t have to think twice about it. I’m just delighted and I can’t wait to get going again.

“I always had it in my mind I would be coming back to Wednesday in some capacity so to get this done now is brilliant. There’s a lot of optimism and excitement around the place – we are on the up.

“We know what this season requires – a lot of hard work and togetherness with everyone fighting for each other, everyone on the same page. Obviously, I know everyone from last season and the new lads already seem at home, so there’s a lot to look forward to and I’m just so pleased to be back part of it.”

Bannan is expected to feature this weekend in a preseason friendly against West Bromwich Albion at St. George’s Park.

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The Wednesday Word reported back in April that the 36-year-old was being considered for a second stint at the club by the incoming owners, and TWW also said earlier this month that terms had since been agreed.

Now, with the 2026/27 season just around the corner, the experienced Scot has been officially announced by the club as he looks to add to his 477 appearances and close in on the exclusive 500 Club.

Bannan has signed a one-year deal at S6, and is already with Henrik Pedersen and his team on their preseason camp at St. George’s Park.

The club’s Sporting Director, Simon Wilson, said of the move, “A lot is said about Barry’s status within the fan base, but not enough about the quality of footballer he is. This isn’t a sentimental move; it is an opportunity to bring in a player whose creativity continues to rank amongst the best in the Championship.

“Barry is a leader, and over the past six months he demonstrated that he can consistently influence games at a level above the one we will compete at this season. His return can be a catalyst for the team we are building, the momentum we want to create and the standards we set.

“This is Barry’s home and, while he needs no introduction, we are signing him because of what we believe he will contribute now, not because of what he has achieved before. We are delighted to welcome him back to Sheffield Wednesday.”

Meanwhile, his former club said, “Millwall Football Club can confirm that Barry Bannan has completed a permanent transfer to Sheffield Wednesday.

“The 36-year-old made 16 appearances for The Lions since joining from The Owls in January 2026, but now heads back to Hillsborough. The club would like to thank Barry for his efforts whilst with Millwall.”

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The Owls are away at St. George’s Park at the moment as part of their preseason preparations for the campaign ahead, and supporters got their first look at their double diamond training gear a couple of weeks ago.

Much has been said about the return of the nostalgic kit manufacturer that holds such fond memories for the Owls, and this morning their fans have finally got to see - officially - what Henrik Pedersen’s men will be wearing in their upcoming League One adventure.

On the front of the shirt will be the new sponsor, Fibrely, while Wolf Competitions will be on the sleeve. The stylised Owl and Umbro logo are yellow, as a nod to the Rumbelows Cup-winning shirt of 1991, and the shorts are plain black.

“Our 2026 home shirt represents generational shared histories with Sheffield Wednesday and Umbro,” they said. “While materials and performance have evolved, the core remains: embroidered detailing, disciplined use of colour and respect for those who wore it.”

The home shirt is available for pre-order now at a cost of £65, and can be purchased as both a men’s and women’s version, while the junior shirt is priced at £55. There is no official date of release just yet. Away and third kits will follow in due course.

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The Wednesday Word reported earlier this week that Lumley, 31, was of interest to the Owls as they seek a replacement for Pierce Charles, and it’s believed that things have moved quickly in the days that have followed.

TWW understands that the shot-stopper has been present at St. George’s Park over the last 24 hours as his Hillsborough switch draws closer, with terms having been agreed with Bristol City that will see him join Wednesday on a permanent deal.

Lumley is no stranger to S6 having had a very brief emergency loan spell with the club last season, playing two games against Middlesbrough and Oxford United back in October. He now looks set to add to his tally of appearances in South Yorkshire.

What else is happening?

The remainder of this week could prove to be incredibly busy for the Owls, with Barry Bannan and Louie Barry believed to be on the brink of finalising their moves from Millwall and Aston Villa respectively.

Other potential deals are in the works too, of course, with Tayo Adaramola still believed to be a target for the club as they prepare for a tough season ahead. Other possible new arrivals are as yet unknown, but as many as 10 further signings could be made between now and the end of the transfer window.

Elsewhere, Wednesday afternoon saw the announcement of two new sponsors, Fibrely and Wolf Competitions, and they will be present on the new kits that are also close to being unveiled in the very near future.

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As always, things are happening at Sheffield Wednesday. On this week's episode of The Wednesday Word Show, Joe Crann talks through the latest on transfers, discusses a new TWW venture, and sits down with two key members of the Sheffield Wednesday Ladies setup to discuss the season ahead.

Barry Bannan, Tayo Adaramola, Joe Lumley and more are discussed as we try to keep you loop as much as possible ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Check out the new store here: https://thewednesdaywordstore.myshopify.com/ 

Support the show

Head over to The Wednesday Word website for all the latest news, or catch us on whichever social media channel you prefer.

The front-of-shirt sponsor will be South Yorkshire-based broadband and mobile provider, Fibrely, who will see their brand on the front of all of Wednesday’s shirts for the season ahead, and they’ve committed to giving away home shirts to the first 1,000 Wednesdayites who sign up.

Meanwhile, on the sleeve will be Wolf Competitions, who are also the club’s online competitions partner for the 2026/27 campaign. The brand has previously been affiliated with teams such as Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and aim to bring exclusive activations, giveaways and prize draws to supporters. The agreement will also see them take ownership of the club’s on-pitch entertainment at half-time.

Fibrely Director, Luke Rogan, said of their partnership with the Owls, “Wednesday is an amazing club with a proper comeback story. The fans have been through it, stayed loud, and now there is real energy around what comes next. That is exactly why this partnership makes sense for us, as likewise, Fibrely is passionate about its Sheffield roots and its ambitions for the future. We did not want this to be another shirt sponsorship where a brand appears on the kit and disappears into the background.

“We want supporters to feel part of it. That means giving shirts to Fibrely customers who are Wednesday fans, running exciting competitions throughout the season and backing the team with offers that improve when players score. The message is simple: when Wednesday does well, Fibrely customers do well too, and we don’t think a broadband or mobile deal can get much better than that.”

And Wolf Competitions Marketing Director, Billy Bone, added, “We’re excited to be joining Sheffield Wednesday as the club’s official online competitions and sleeve partner for the 2026-27 season. Sheffield Wednesday is a huge football club with an incredibly passionate fanbase, and that’s a massive part of what attracted us to this partnership.

“At Wolf Competitions, we love building communities around our brand, so we can’t wait to get to know the Wednesday supporters and create exciting experiences throughout the season. Whether it’s exclusive competitions, matchday activations, content with the players or rewarding fans with unforgettable prizes and experiences, we’re looking forward to bringing something different and engaging to Hillsborough. We’re excited to be part of the Sheffield Wednesday family and can’t wait to get the season underway.”

Bruce on the new Owls sponsorships

Meanwhile, Wednesday’s Chief Executive Officer, David Bruce said of the deals “Fibrely share our ambition to put supporters first and build genuine connections with the people and communities we represent. As a South Yorkshire business with ambitious plans of its own, Fibrely understands what Sheffield Wednesday means to this city.

“Together, we’ve created a partnership that rewards our supporters, strengthens our connection with the local community and reflects the exciting journey our football club is now on. We are delighted to welcome Fibrely to Sheffield Wednesday…

“Our ambition is to improve every part of the Sheffield Wednesday supporter experience, and this partnership is another step towards delivering that.

“Wolf Competitions share our commitment to creating memorable experiences for supporters, and together we’ll introduce exciting opportunities throughout the season, including on matchdays. We’re delighted to welcome Wolf Competitions to Sheffield Wednesday and look forward to working together.”

Wednesday fans are itching to see what kits are in store for the Owls as Umbro’s iconic double diamond returns to their shirts for their upcoming League One battle, and it’s expected that a launch is on the cards within the next week.

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This week I was delighted to launch our new range of Wednesday merchandise thanks to the fantastic design work of fellow Owl, Lee Wildgoose, and I wanted to thank everybody for the kind words so far.

We’ve made the commitment to donate £2 from every single sale to local charities, with £1 going to PACT and another £1 going to Bright Young Dreams. That donation is going to remain for as long as the store exists.

Regarding the gear itself, I’ve opted to go for higher-quality stuff - and I’m selling them for cheaper than was recommended. Being fully transparent, it makes the profit margins smaller, but means that you’re getting a good product without paying over the odds for it. That was something that was important to me.

Anyway, that’s enough from me - I’ll let the designs do the talking! Let me know what you think!

You can find the full range of TWW Store gear by clicking this link, and your 10% discount will be applied automatically at the checkout.

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It’s been one helluva journey so far, and it’s crazy to me that we’ve already got over 5,500 people who are part of the family here on Substack, as well as thousands of others over on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. You lot are the best.

And thankfully, what comes with growth is expansion. As the word of TWW continues to spread, it’s enabled me to expand our offering - and it’s all very exciting.

The Wednesday Word Store

First up, and something that I’m absolutely buzzing about, is the launch of The Wednesday Word Store! I’ve been able to collaborate with brilliant graphic designer - and fellow Wednesdayite - Lee Wildgoose to bring you a new collection of shirts, hoodies and mugs that I think you’re going to love.

Goose Creative are going to be working with us as our merchandise offering grows, and there are plans in the works for limited collections as well as a development of the sort of products available. Lee and I have made a commitment that £2 from every single sale will go to a Sheffield charity, and that’s something that will always remain the case. £1 will go to PACT, and another £1 will go to the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity’s Bright Young Dreams campaign.

For the first week I’m giving everybody a 10% discount on their first purchase, and after that all paid subscribers will continue to enjoy a 10% discount for as long as they’re part of the family.

Dooooooom

As you may have seen, we’ve also made our first signing of the summer, too, with a familar face joining us here at TWW. Dom Howson lived and breathed Sheffield Wednesday for the best part of a decade as he led The Star’s Owls coverage, and even after leaving the SWFC beat has continued to follow the club that got into his heart.

I’m delighted to say that Dom will now be joining The Wednesday Word Show as a co-host going forward, bringing his knowledge and insights to two episodes a month as he and I delve into a plethora of Owls topics over on YouTube.

A brand new look

You also might have noticed that our channels have been given a bit of a refresh, and that’s also thanks to Lee over at Goose Creative.

With some new-look branding and a fresh logo, we’re hoping to get the 2026/27 season underway with the same sort of revitalisation that the club itself is enjoying.

Our preseason plans

I also have some fantastic news on the preseason front, because I’m going to be bringing you all the news from Hungary and Austria later this month as I join the Owls on their European camp in Budapest and Vienna.

Thanks to my amazing partners over at Profenx, I’ll be jetting out to Central Europe to bring you a whole host of content from two tremendous cities - both football and maybe slightly less football-related. I want to show you the sights on and off the pitch, and hopefully put some meat on the bones as we get used to a new-look Wednesday squad. Subscribe for plenty of behind-the-scenes content.

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The Wednesday Word reported last week that the 17-year-old attacker was on the verge of finalising his move from West Yorkshire, and that he had been spotted in Sheffield as things inched closer to to being a done deal.

Now, with the team out at St. George’s Park for the first leg of their preseason camps, he has officially been unveiled as the club’s newest recruit.

Speaking to the club after his arrival, Gray said, “There were quite a few clubs interested but it was an easy decision because this is such a big club. It’s crazy to think about 24,000 season tickets in League One and the timing is perfect, as I have a full pre-season to settle in.

“Hillsborough is a special stadium when the fans get going and I think this year, with everything that’s going on around the place, it should be unbelievable and hopefully a season to remember. It’s the perfect place for me.”

Sporting Director, Simon Wilson, also gave his thoughts on the deal, saying, “Harry has an elite record in youth football and proved last season that he can translate his qualities to a senior environment. In challenging circumstances, he delivered a good attacking impact in this league and his experiences with Rotherham United will provide solid foundations for him to build from.

“Our playing identity will demand that we create a lot of opportunities, and we expect Harry to be a big threat to our opponents. We are thankful to Leeds United for trusting us with the next phase of his development and look forward to bringing him into the group.”

An announcement on Barry Bannan, meanwhile, is expected in the near future after the former Owls captain was seen with the team in Burton-on-Trent, although there has been no word as to when his return from Millwall will be made official.

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It was early into Dejphon Chansiri’s tenure as owner of Wednesday that he opted to get rid of the stylised Owl that had become so synonymous with this football club of ours. Many fans didn’t like the decision, but there was also acknowledgement of the fact that it was a nod to our past.

Chansiri said that the crest, which was almost identical to one used back in the 1950s, ‘fascinated’ him, and that the choice was made after ‘many conversations’ with fans of the club.

“I am extremely proud to unveil the new crest that will herald a new beginning for Sheffield Wednesday,” he said at the time. “Since taking over the club, I have enjoyed many conversations on the crest with supporters across all age groups and it soon became clear that a new crest would be better received were it in keeping with our heritage.

“Having studied at length the rich traditions of the club, the crest that stood out to me in every way was the first official design of the 1950s and I am fascinated by the fact it was never actually used on the team’s shirts.

“Therefore this vision was always in the forefront of my thoughts during the long, thorough and diligent design process.”

Fast-forward to 2025, and that badge – that part of Wednesday’s history – feels like it has been thrown onto the rubbish pile.

Though the bad times have been plenty, that badge has still been on the chests of players and fans alike during some incredible moments at Wednesday, and the fact that it’s now considered ‘his’ is something that makes me incredibly sad.

I’ve made no secret of my delight at the return of the club logo that I – in my entirely non-biased view - consider to be one of the most iconic in English football. If nothing else, it makes the tattoo on my arm relevant again…

But the disdain with which the 1950s crest is now judged does make me quite sad. Seeing the removal of it from the end of the bridge over the Don, a river that still flows the same way, feels bittersweet. It marks the end of a dismal era and the start of something entirely more hopeful - but the fact that part of our history has been almost entirely tainted by one man is just incredibly miserable.

Who knows, maybe time does heal all wounds. Maybe at some point we can look back at that badge with fondness once again. That wasn’t Chansiri’s to ruin, but in running the club the way that he did, it feels like that’s exactly what he’s done.

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The 2026 UEFA European Under-19 Championship is currently taking place in Wrexham, Bangor, Caernarfon and Denbigh as the continent’s top prospects descend on the United Kingdom for the chance to not only claim glory but also qualify for the U20 World Cup next year.

Sadly for Stretch and Co, there will be no qualification for the Red Dragons after they lost all three of their Group A games without scoring a goal. Chris Gunter’s men were handed a difficult opening stage alongside Spain, Germany and Denmark, and defeat in their third game meant that they wouldn’t be progressing to the knockouts.

For the young Owls stopper, there wasn’t too much that he could’ve done about it himself.

After sitting out the first game, which resulted in a 7-0 defeat, Stretch was brought into Gunter’s XI to face the Germans. A marginally better result saw the Welsh downed 4-0, but the first three goals were all from close-range, and he came so close to pulling off an incredible save to keep out the fourth.

Logan Stretch and Wales are out of the U19s Euros

The Wales boss must’ve liked what he saw even in defeat, because the young Owls academy graduate kept his place when the Danes came to town - but the result was unfortunately a similar one.

Stretch made a comfortable save earlier on, and looked tidy in possession as Wales tried to build from the back. He was also made to hold his breath when Alfred Gøthler went down as he rushed out to meet him, but the referee rightly booked the Dane for diving.

As the game went on, the visitors started to take control, scoring two beautiful goals either side of the break that more experienced goalkeepers than Stretch wouldn’t have been able to stop.. The third wasn’t as pretty, but it would still be harsh to lay any of the blame for it at the young Owls’ door.

The shot-stopper is now likely to be given a bit of time off before returning to training with Wednesday, but it may be that he heads over to St. George’s Park at some point next week given the lack of goalkeepers in the building as Pierce Charles draws closer to joining Manchester City.

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Charles has solidified his place as one of the most exciting young goalkeepers in England over the last couple of years, with his performances at both club level and international level for Northern Ireland catching the eyes of big clubs in Europe.

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There’s a lot going on over at Middlewood Road at present, with the Owls doing their best to get things in place for the season ahead, and Simon Wilson will barely have gotten any sleep since his arrival through the doors at Hillsborough.

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